Love Knows the Way
by Lyra Blackwell
Summary: Jane is kidnapped by an evil sorcerer bent on world domination and only our heroes may stop him. Set after Descendants 2, but no other villain kids have shown up yet. T for just in case. Usual pairings: MalXBen, EvieXDoug, CarlosXJane, LonnieXJay
1. Chapter 1

King Ben took a sip of coffee as he tried to stay awake through his morning lecture of Good Deeds, which was being subbed that morning due to Fairy Godmother meeting with the three good fairies about magic in the realm. It was very difficult to listen when he was so tired though. He was under a lot of stress lately from work, and school. Resting his eyes for one moment just seemed like such a good idea to. He felt his girlfriend, Mal, rest her head on his shoulder making him blush.

Mal must have been up late sketching,he thought, but it confused him. He started to notice the other occupants in the room falling asleep too. This lecture can't be that boring, could it? No. Doug would never sleep through a lecture, and there he was slumping backwards, his head almost touching the desk behind him, where Jay sat slumped so his forehead was touching his blank notebook.

Evie was resting her head in the crook of her arm while Carlos was falling forward than snapping up in an attempt to keep himself awake. Jane, his girlfriend, was leaning into him to keep herself upright.

What's happening, thought Ben. Everyone was passing out in his lectern. He watched as Jane attempted to whisper something into Carlos's ear, and Ben did not expect the reaction that followed.

"Magic," Carlos slurred.

Mal stirred next to him.

"He's right," she whispered to Ben, "It's his voice."

Ben attempted to stand up but fell due to his exhaustion.

"What do you want," He ground out.

Their lecturer, Fflewddur Fflam, looked shocked with all of the commotion, but quickly regained his composure and burst out laughing. Ben was stunned. Wasn't Fflam the good guy that helped Taran?

"Well I guess you all caught me. Aren't you so smart," Fflam mocked. "I guess I should have expected this coming from the daughter of Fairy Godmother, and Maleficent back there. Ben struggled to keep awake during the conversation.

Ben's breathing hitched as Fflam's face melted into a skull with glowing red eyes. His hair twisted into two boned horns on top of his head. This act brought on some gasps and a little scream he was sure came from Evie.

"Horned King," Carlos slurred, "How did you get here?"

"Well, that's not really any of your business, is it, De Vil," the Horned King replied. He walked toward the classroom door and locked it humming as he did so the spell could continue to work its magic. Ben struggled to stay awake through the melody recognizing it instantly as _True Loves Kiss._ He walked back toward the front of the class, and then proceeded to make his way down row of desks stopping just in front of Ben's face.

"Your majesty," he said bowing. Then he turned and pulled Jane into his arms bridal style.

"I must say, it was a real treat meeting all of my nemesis' little bundles of joy, and I do mean all of you," he said pointedly looking at Mal as she struggled to stand.

Carlos made to grab Jane but was too slow and sloppy and fell forward hitting his face off of Jane's chair.

"I must be off, now, but I hope to see you all soon when I ascend the throne."

He humming the tune where he left off as he walked back down the aisle towards he front of the classroom. Ben still struggled to stand only succeeding in a kneeling position while Carlos looked thoroughly knocked out from his fall. Mal was still trying to hold herself up from her seat, but couldn't make it any further from her desk, and Evie was trying desperately pull out her tablet from her backpack. Meanwhile the Horned King had mad it all of the way to the grand windows facing the sloping front yard of Auradon Prep Academy. Jane was still struggling to stay awake in his arms in the hopes of escape to no avail. The Horned King lifted his arm and a opened a massive portal in the wall large enough that he could walk through without stooping to fit his horns.

He turned back towards the children and said, "Study hard now," and with that he walked through the portal, which collapsed upon his entry, taking a struggling Jane with him.

With his escape Ben could immediately feel the drowsiness lift from his body. Mal walked over to Carlos and examined his bloody face while Ben stood up. Evie succeeded in pulling her tablet out and was typing furiously to Fairy Godmother. Everyone else was dozed off having lost the fight with the sleep spell.

"Jane, I'm sorry," Ben whispered to himself.


	2. Chapter 2

The fear that permeated the room that morning haunted the kids until nightfall; especially Carlos who refuse to go down to dinner in the dining hall. Mal and Ben met up with Evie and Doug, but spent the evening staring at their food.

"There must be something we can do for Jane," Evie said shifting her position to sit closer to Doug.

"My father doesn't think its safe. The Horned King is fierce; almost as bad as your mother," Ben stated turning to Mal. "I didn't even know he still existed until his morning."

Mal wracked her brain thinking about all she knew about the Horned King. Kidnapper of princesses, and farm boys. Obsessed with a cauldron. As magically gifted as Maleficent. There must be something.

"Why would he take Jane," Mal questioned. "What could she do for him that the rest of us can't?"

"She is Fairy Godmother's daughter," Doug responded.

"But she doesn't do magic, and she's never practiced."

"But think about all that raw power she could have," Ben offered.

"Could is a strong word, King Ben," Evie replied.

Ben sighed and stared out the window thinking. Meanwhile Carlos hadn't gotten out of bed since he left his meeting with the captain of the guards. Jay was pacing back and forth trying to calm down the young boy to no avail. Carlos would listen to Jay, and Jay was too hotheaded to be reasonable anyhow.

"We have to go find her somehow," Jay said. He was starting feel like he was talking to a wall. Carlos hadn't said two words to him since they go back to their room, and Jay was starting to worry. Jay was about to say something again when there was a pounding on the door. Carlos jumped at the sound, but didn't make a move to answer it.

Jay sighed and walked over to the door, and opened it. Lonnie stood outside gasping for breath.

"Are you alright," Jay asked grabbing Lonnie's hand in worry.

"Yes, and you're not going to believe what I just saw."

Carlos peeked out from his blankets, but remained silent.

"What is it?"

"Will o' wisps," Lonnie breathed.

"No. Way," Jay said, shocked.

"Where," Carlos said sitting up.

"From the tourney grounds into the woods," Lonnie responded.

Carlos went to grab his jacket but was stopped by Jay.

"It's dangerous. We're coming too."

Carlos nodded as Lonnie texted Evie the details.

In the next hour Lonnie, Doug, Evie, Mal, Carlos, Ben, and Jay were ready to go with on their secret quest. They walked through the lush grounds towards the tourney fields without seeing any wisps. The tourney field was empty because of the off season and lateness of the evening.

"OK. Where did you see them," Mal asked.

"This way," Lonnie said walking toward a deer trail in the woods. The rest followed her as they trekked through the overgrown path. Ben turned on his flashlight, and the rest followed suit as the woods grew incredibly darker the further they went. Mal noticed a blue flash up ahead, and pointed it out. The gang jogged to catch up.

"A wisp," Evie whispered.

It glowed blue against the surrounding darkness while it hovered in the air as if waiting for something. Mal reached out to touch to it, and jumped as it zoomed through through the trees.

"After it," Lonnie said as she broke into a sprint through the woods.

"Wait, Lonnie. Don't run off," Ben said running after her.

Ben broke through the tree line and stopped at the sight of a dark, lone tower against the back drop of a waterfall.

Mal slammed into him and they fell on top of each other. Mal gasped when she saw the tower.

"Mother Gothel's tower, really?"

Mal stood up pulling Ben to his feet, and realized they were all alone.

"Evie-"

"Shush. We don't want anyone to hear us," BEn said covering Mal's mouth.

Mal pulled his hand off her face.

"That tower has been empty for over twenty years."

"Yes, but the Horned King could still be here."

"You're right," said a deep voice making them both jump.

Mal and Ben turned and stared into the boney face of the Horned King.

Ben pulled out his sword as Mal shot off purple light to shield them from the Horned King. Simultaneously they yelled run at each other. The Horned King laughed.

"Well don't you two make a cute couple."

Last thing Mal and Ben saw was a blanket of dark green smoke that smelled sickly sweet.

Further back Evie and Doug were just catching up to Mal and Ben.

"Mal. Ben where are you," Evie called.

They broke the tree line, and barely caught a glimpse of the Horned King disappearing with their two friends who were lying on the ground.

"No," they both shouted in unison.

In a flash of green light their friends were gone.

"What do we do now," Doug asked.

"We have to find Lonnie, Jay, and Carlos. It's our only chance to beat him, and find Jane, Mal, and Ben."

An ear shattering screech pierced the skies making Doug and and Evie cover their ears.

"What is that," shouted Evie watching the beast circle the skies above them.

"Gwythaints," Doug gulped staring the monster circling them overhead.


	3. Chapter 3

"How did we lose them," asked Carlos breathlessly.

"Probably cuz you're out of shape, kid," Jay responded.

Carlos merely glared at him before Jay suggested, "Well I guess we should keep following the path."

Jay caught a blue wisp out of the corner of his eye flit through the bushes. He punched Carlos, who gave an indignant yell before trudging off through the bushes. Carlos rolled his eyes, but followed until they made it to a small ravine cut into the hilly forest.

"Did you see where it went," asked Jay.

"I didn't see it at all, man."

Jay stared at him like he was insane.

"You didn't see a glow-in-the-dark, floating stop sign?"

"Stop signs are red, I think."

"Really?"

Carlos stopped to think about it before hie eyes trailed over a bit down stream where the water was pooling up unnaturally. It was too dark to see what was causing the blockage, but as he stepped closer towards it he realized what the unnatural shape was

"Hey. Is that a body over there?"

"Very funny, but I'm not falling for it."

"I'm being serious. Come on."

Carlos walked up to the the unconscious person lying partially submerged in the river.

"Lonnie? Oh my god, Lonnie. Are you OK?"

Carlos shook her a little as Jay ran over to help. Lonnie, from the naked eye, looked OK but could easily have eternal wounds. She didn't respond to either of the boys as they shook her.

"She's unconscious. What do we do?"

"I'm gonna carry her back to campus and see if the healer can do anything for her. You have to keep going and find the others."

"But-"

"Do it for Jane."

Carlos only nodded as Jay carefully picked up Lonnie bridal style and started walking the way they'd all come.

Carlos stood up and took a deep breath. He noticed a wisp floating on the other side of the ravine.

"For Jane," he whispered, and trudged on after the wisp

* * *

Evie and Doug ran for cover in the trees before the Gwythaint could dive at them. As they sat in silence watching it circle the tower they realized he was trying to keep them out.

"At least he won't eat us," Doug said, relieved. Evie gave him an incredulous look to which he responded in a shrug.

"We need to go in there, and rescue three of our friends now; not to mention stop the Horned King."

"OK," Doug said taking a bug gulp, "I think I have an idea."

"OK. Lay it on me."

"Well what if I run out and draw attention to myself and you make a run for the tower. It can't get us both."

"I don't know if I like the idea of putting you in danger, but I think it's the only plan we have." Evie gave Doug a sad smile and a kiss on the cheek.

"Stay safe, my prince," Evie said winking. They both stood up from their crouch, and Doug charged out of their hiding spot screaming at the top of his lungs incoherently.

Evie smiled as she circled through the edge of the woods into a better position for running. Once she was on the opposite side from the bird and Doug she took off running through the open field. She hadn't been doing much running lately in Auradon as she hadn't been getting into much hi-jinks. She found that she missed the thrill of escape, claiming something she earned through wit, and some slight of hand she learned from Jay. Her lungs started to burn from the full on sprint she forced her body to do after many months of having given up running for her life. Auradon had definitely spoiled her, and she could feel it with every breath became harder to take.

She skidded to a halt in front of the gate, and glanced back at Doug. He was doing his best to dodge the creature as it lunged down at him. Every miss gave him time to pick a new spot to stand as the creature had to realign itself in the air and find where its prey had went. Evie turned back to the gate, and realized she had no idea how to get in. The gate was merely decoration for behind the bars was just bricks after the witch had blocked it in preference to climbing the tower with Rapunzel's hair. But Evie didn't have the same luxury as Rapunzel was sporting a new, shorter do, and living in her beautiful castle in Corona. She also never learned spells in the same way Mal did, as her Mother only cared about her looks, and never thought magic would ever grace Evie's fingertips; thus Evie was uneducated in the ways of magic. She knew few spells from her mother's Grimoire, but none of them were for transportation.

Evie sighed as she realized she was going to have to do this the old fashioned way.

"Thank goodness I didn't wear heels," she said as she put on foot on a brick jutting out of the wall. She put her left hand on crevice between two stones that had cracked, and used it the lift herself up. She promised herself not to look down as she continued her ascent to the window at the top of the tower.

* * *

The Horned King had just finished tying the last knot around the King's ankles securing him to a wooden chair that was rotting in the upstairs room while Jane watched disapprovingly.

The poor girl had spent all day watching the Horned King prepare for whatever it was he thought he could do. She hadn't figured out what he wanted or why he had kidnapped two of her friends, and she was too scared to ask. This was the kind of thing that happened in stories, fairy tales that have long passed; not now when the Isle existed. The Horned King straightened up and walked towards her.

Jane shrank away as he neared hoping he would walk past her to the window. He stopped right in front of her and knelt to her eye level.

"So now that the pieces are in play will you help me with something?"

"Wh-what?"

"I desperately need your help. I need to know your former King locked up all of the villain artifacts."

Jane swallowed her nerves. She was a bad liar; not in the sense where it was easy to notice. She was a bad liar because she couldn't stomach the morally ambiguous feeling that came with weaving a tale. She would always end up feeling so guilty that she spilled the truth even after she had lied. Thus she'd only tried it twice in her life, hating herself more each time. She glanced a look at the Horned King's terrifying skull face, and felt instant regret and dread. She couldn't lie to her mom let alone him.

"Why," she shouted louder than she meant to. She could hear it echo off of the walls of the tower, and it made her cringe.

"Why," he repeated mockingly.

She could only nod in reply.

He stood back up, and looked as if he was contemplating her question.

"Do you know who I am," he finally answered.

She nodded again.

"Well then you must know what I want. What belongs to me."

"Th-the cauldron."

"Precisely. And then vengeance, and finally world domination. The beastly King did all of the hard work for me; getting rid of those second rate villains. He even put all of his eggs into one basket."

Jane made confused face, and The Horned King continued.

"He put a bunch of the most magically uneducated, but powerful in their own right, kids in a boarding school. He even included his own son, for which he made King almost a year ago, almost unguarded. You people have been getting soft since we all left."

"We're not...afraid of...you," Mal slurred from behind him.

"Well of course you're not; your mother is Maleficent. She looks scary."

Mal opened her mouth to retort only to find her voice gone. She gave him one of her famous glares to which he laughed before responding, "Ursala isn't the only one with that spell, kid."

He winked and walked towards the window. He leaned out, and, to the shock of Mal and Jane, he dragged in a terrified Evie.

"Let me go," she shouted. He pushed her inside and she fell with her back to the ground. Evie scrambled to get up swiftly.

"You didn't have to go through all of that trouble of climbing. I was coming to get you eventually," He said smiling.

"What do you want with us?"

"Well that's very complicated, and I don't have to answer to you. Goodbye."

He waved as she was dragged, as if by invisible hands, into the old armoire that sat across the room. The Horned King walked up and slid the mop handle through the handles securing Evie inside. She banged and screamed against the wooden doors but they wouldn't budge.

"Well now that my plans have fallen into place; let's have some fun."


End file.
